"Aashi.. Aashi.." Khushi called her out, coming towards her.
Aashi looked at Khushi, and ran towards her, hugging Khushi's legs tightly, she looked up to Khushi smiling, "Aashi love hele.."
Khushi smiled back, relieved that Aashi liked the place she brought her to play and forget about Arnav for a while. She understands what is to live craving for your parents and shouting for them, but they never come. But now Aashi has her and Arnav by her side, she'll never let Aashi miss any of them and will do everything to be a perfect mother to Aashi.
Aashi pulled her dress, trying to gain her attention, "Friend??"
Khushi blinked her eyes startled and looked down at Aashi.
"We should go back home now Hain na? Papa must be waiting for you.." Khushi said as both walked towards the car after waving to the kids and Johnny uncle and Mary Aunty who didn't forget to wish good luck to Khushi in her new and unexpected journey of life.
********************************************
RM..
"What's wrong?" asked NK to an upset Akash sitting on the edge of the bed.
"What's wrong? Everything is wrong in my life! I don't understand what's Payal problem? I already said to her that I love her but she always reject me!" pouted Akash.
"That's your usual problem. I'm asking what happened now?" NK said grinning.
Akash threw a pillow to him, which NK successfully caught it on time and stuck his tongue out to Akash.
"I won and you lost! Now tell me what Payalia did today?" NK asked again.
"I went to her today and invited her for lunch, do you know what she did next? She just called Dhruv and invited him for lunch in front of me! She rejected my invitation in such a painful manner.." Akash said looking away as the incident that happened today flashed on his mind freshly. She holding Dhruv's hand and he opened the car door for her like a gentleman and he just kept staring at both with broken heart.
"Oh man! This girl is so bad and so difficult. I guess only after you die she will accept you.." NK shook his head disappointedly.
"What? Aren't you ashamed to say such things? You want your brother to die. You I won't leave you NK.." Akash started beating him with a pillow and NK escaped from his room and went running to the living room. While Akash followed him with a pillow on his hand.
"Why are you escaping now?" Akash shouted as he reached the living room, NK was hiding behind Nani.
Akash came forward and NK ran from there, Akash took the opportunity and threw the pillow to him but it landed on Shyam's face.
Anjali giggled seeing Shyam's worth watching face.
"Sorry Jijaji.." Akash smiled sheepishly.
"I won't spare you both!" said Shyam and started running behind Akash and NK.
Nani laughed heartily seeing their usual drama!
Shyam threw the pillow in the hope he would beat at least one of them, but it hit Arnav's forehead.
Anjali bit her tongue smiling, while Nani and Mami widened their eyes.
"Game over!" whispered NK, Akash and Shyam at the same time.
"What is this? You three are kids or what? Even Aashi doesn't behave like this. Everything has a limit.." Arnav scolded them holding the damn pillow on his hand.
While everyone was silent not wanting to face ASR's wrath, a laughter sounds echoed around the living room irking Arnav as he thought who would dare to laugh at him.
"Arnav ji.." the owner of the laughter came running towards him, she touched his forehead softly still with a mischievous glint on her face.
"Did you got hurt?" she asked with full concern and Arnav gritted his teeth understanding that she meant to provoke him by this question.
Everyone burst out laughing at him.
"Why are you laughing yaar? My chocolate boy got hurt with this so so so soft pillow.. We might have to take him for hospital Nani ji.." Khushi said dramatically pointing to the pillow who was resting on Arnav's hand till now.
Arnav clenched the pillow with his hand, and threw the pillow harshly on the floor.
Laxmi came near Khushi and made a happy "meh" sound because Khushi just taught a lesson to her enemy.
"Friend.." Aashi giggled calling Khushi, she was giggling because as she came forward to Khushi, Laxmi ran to her and started snuggling to her making Aashi feel ticklish.
Khushi noticed Aashi struggling with Laxmi, she lifted Aashi and Laxmi got upset with this, she went to her mother, Nani to get some love and pampers.
"Aashi wants Papa.." Aashi pointed to Arnav's room asking Khushi to take her to Arnav.
Khushi nodded and both went to Arnav's room.
"Why were you both fighting?" asked Anjali to Akash and NK.
"Nothing!!" NK shrugged, and sat with them. While Akash send a silent thank you to him for not
saying this in front of his mother.
Anjali looked at them suspiciously and then at Shyam expecting him to tell her.
Shyam sat beside her with I-don't-know-anything look. But he knows everything, in fact only him, NK, Arnav and Aman know about Akash's love story. But they don't say anything to the family because Payal still didn't accept Akash and if the ladies get to know, they will jump to marriage topic.
*****************************************
"Papa.." Arnav heard the little sweet voice coming to him, he knew she was just behind him with her cute and innocent face eager to receive love from him.
He turned to her and smiled, "Were you crying today too?"
"Hmm.." Aashi nodded, "What do I do Papa? I missy you lot.. I tly (try) not to cly (cry) but I can't.." she said. She knows her Papa always say to her not to trouble Nani, Anjali and Mami when he's not at home, because he will come home soon for her.
Arnav lifted her hugging her tightly, "I'm helpless my Baby.. Papa wants to stay with you all the time but I also have work..You have to understand me..Do you want Papa to stay worried for you while working in office?"
Aashi nodded sideways, "I won't cly now.. Plomise..Friend izz with me.."
"Good girl.." he said caressing her cheeks, his eyes landed on Khushi who was standing like a statue hearing their conversation. Her eyes were kind of moist, and he wondered why. Does she love Aashi or just married him for his wealth and good looks as she had said on their marriage night?
"I will serve your dinner.." he said as she noticed his gaze on her and went from there leaving both alone.
Arnav made Aashi stand on the bed as he kissed her forehead softly.
"Stay here.. Papa is going to freshen up and change OK?" he said taking his clothes from the closet.
Aashi nodded her head and waited for him like a good girl.
He came back after few minutes from his hurried bath, as he cannot let his daughter wait for him for much time.
He leaned on the bed headboard and Aashi excitedly sat on his lap.
He caressed her hair playing with her soft curls, while Aashi kept telling him what she did from the time he left in the morning till now.
There was not even a single sentence she said without uttering Khushi's name. Everything Khushi, that he rolled his eyes annoyed of hearing her name countless times.
"What did you do without Khushi?" he asked.
"Kuch nahin (Nothing).." an innocent Aashi replied not getting what her father meant by that question.
"Papa Friend is very nice! Aashi likes hel a lot.." Aashi said smiling and playing with her fingers shyly.
Arnav was surprised with her sudden confession, he could see it from Aashi's eyes that she liked Khushi's company and somewhere his heart was at peace now that he didn't marry Sheetal but life gave him someone that was accepted instantly by his daughter. Arnav knew that Aashi didn't like Sheetal, but he thought with time she would start to like her but here with Khushi, he didn't even had to wait much for the miracle to happen.
"Papa.." Aashi called him, and he nodded as signaling her to continue, "Friend will stay with me always?"
"Always!!" he replied nodding and Aashi's hopeful face till now burst with happiness.
********************************************
After having dinner, the family sat together at the living room watching movie by Nani's choice.
Arnav rolled his eyes seeing that its a Hindi movie and that means torture for him!
Anjali rested her head on Shyam's shoulder smiling shyly.
"Hey Meri Ma! Please decide whether you want to sit at left side or right.." Mama said tiring of Mami asking him to change his seat everytime as she was checking which side is better to watch the movie comfortable.
"I'm at my seat quietly Manohar.." Nani replied confused.
"I'm not talking with you Ma. I'm talking with her.." he pointed to Mami.
"Then say Meri biwi na.. What's is this Meri MA?" Nani pouted caressing Laxmi's neck, who excitedly came to watch movie.
"Will we watch the movie with this goat?" Arnav asked sarcastically.
Nani glared at him, while Anjali shook her head: Chote she's Laxmi! I don't understand why you don't like her when your daughter also like her.
"Laxmi is not my daughter that I should like her.." Arnav replied.
Anjali sighed in defeat. Khushi came back after making Aashi sleep since she was very tired of playing the afternoon with her new friends at NGO.
"Ayee DM! We are going to watch Bodyguard! It's one of my favorite movie.." Khushi exclaimed.
"Tell me what's the movie you hate, I will make you watch that in our room!" Arnav said mockingly.
"Watching a movie with you in OUR room will make me love even the movie" Khushi replied blushing.
Arnav rolled his eyes muttering, "Unbelievable.."
Khushi giggled and went to the kitchen to take popcorns and cold drinks for them. With the help of HP she brought that for everyone in the living room.
NK switched off the lights and went to sit with his partner in crime, Akash.
Khushi sat beside Arnav making him frown.
"Lovely what a lovely name.." Khushi said smiling dreamily at Salman Khan.
"What rubbish.." mumbled Arnav irked with her comments at every scene of Salman Khan.
"You should ask those bodyguards of yours to behave like Lovely (Salman Khan) behaves with Divya (Kareena Kapoor) and not like they held me so harshly that day. Is that a way to behave with a woman?" pouted Khushi.
"First, they aren't your lover like he is for her in the movie that's why they didn't treat you like Lovely does! And second, are you a woman? That's good to know, I was thinking I married a Three years old girl.." Arnav said.
"Laad governor!!" Khushi forcefully stuffed the popcorns on his mouth making his glare at her.
"Khushi if you did this again then.." Arnav said gulping the popcorns that made way to his mouth forcefully.
Khushi didn't let him complete and forcefully made him eat more popcorns. She laughed at his state.
The movie went on, and the Teri meri song played making everyone emotional except Arnav.
Even Laxmi did a sad "Meh" sound.
Akash turned to NK, "Our love story is really difficult na NK!"
NK patted his shoulder softly as if consoling him.
Arnav rolled his eyes hearing them and whispered to them, "It's not difficult, it's you who don't know how to convince her.."
Khushi heard what Arnav said, she patted his shoulder and whispered, "What's there to convince, I'm already smitten by you my Chocolate!"
Arnav glared at Khushi while she blushed.
"Aww so sweet!" whispered Nani to Khushi who heard what she said.
Khushi widened her eyes, here she was teasing Arnav and now Nani will think she really have feelings for him and by Nani's looks at her it seemed impossible to explain her that she was just teasing.
"Shyam ji leave me.. Nani is seeing us.." Anjali struggle in his hold.
"Who told you? Lights are switched off Rani Sahiba.." Shyam whispered to her.
"No, I heard she said "Aww so sweet.." Anjali said. Shyam widened his eyes and the thought that Nani saw them romancing secretly made him embarrassed as he left Anjali and sat straight watching the movie.
Mama and Mami were eagerly waiting for this exchange of information that started with Akash to NK, then Arnav to Khushi, Khushi to Nani, Nani to Anjali and Shyam to reach to them also. But all they got was a "Meeeeeeeeeeh" from Laxmi as if laughing at their curious face.
"I think I'm going to propose Payal tomorrow.." Akash said sipping his coke with a determined look.
"Shut up!" Arnav rolled his eyes boringly of hearing Akash's cryings over Payal and at his right side, Khushi who was talking nonstop about the movie. But now she was quiet, or let's say. When Akash talk, Khushi keeps silent. When Akash stops, Khushi starts with her antics and Arnav was going mad in between them.
"Aww.. What did I say? I didn't say anything now.." Khushi mouth formed a big "O" shape after hearing him ordering her to shut up when she didn't even said a word.
"He is teasing you because he wants you to give attention to him and not the movie dear.." Nani winked at Khushi.
"But Shyam ji isn't doing anything now Nani.." Anjali heard Nani and replied confused.
"What? I didn't do anything now!!" Shyam looked at Anjali horrified, is Nani imagining things now!
"What? I'm not talking with you Anjali bitiya.." Nani looked at her confused.
"Nani ji you're getting everything wrong.." Khushi explained confusing Nani more.
"I wasn't talking with you!!" Arnav said, "Will you stop poking your nose where you're not called?"
"Then with whom were you talking?" Khushi asked frowning.
"But Nani ji I heard you said Aww so sweet.." Anjali said blushing.
"What's happening Bhai?" Akash asked seeing them.
"Hello hi bye bye! It's happening because of you only dear son.." Mami said, "You said something, then Arnav bitwa replied something but it's Khushi who replies, then it's Sasuma who replies, then it's Anjali, then Shyam bitwa. Now I asking, what is it?"
Now Khushi understood that he was talking with Akash, Anjali also realized that Nani was talking with Khushi and not her. And at last Shyam understood that the talks started with Akash and were manipulated till it reached to them. He glared at Anjali who smiled sheepishly to him.
After the movie reached to an end, the family retired themselves from the living room and directly went to their respectives room to sleep.
Khushi was the only who stayed and was cleaning the living room before she left. She took the bowls and glasses to the kitchen and washed them.
After she was done, she went upstairs and found Arnav sleeping already on the recliner without anything to support like pillow. Maybe he was really tired of working, then taking time for his family that he just jumped on the recliner and fell asleep in no time.
She took a pillow and placed it behind his head and covered him with his blanket.